Wolverine (train)
| Wolverine | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Amtrak No. 353 westbound from Pontiac to Chicago passes Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. |
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| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Inter-city rail, higher speed rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System | Amtrak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Running | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | Chicago, Illinois Pontiac, Michigan |
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| Stations | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Daily ridership | 1,314 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ridership | 503,290 (FY11)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Train number(s) | 350–355 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1971 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | NS, CN, Amtrak, CR (track) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Amtrak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | P42DC locomotives, Amfleet cars, Horizon cars. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 304 miles (489 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed | Up to 110 MPH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Wolverine is a higher speed passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 304-mile (489 km)[2] line provides three daily round-trips along the Pontiac–Detroit–Chicago route. It carries a heritage train name descended from the New York Central (Michigan Central).
During fiscal year 2011, the Wolverine carried 503,290 passengers, a 4.9% increase from FY 2010's total of 479,782 passengers.[1] The service had a total revenue of US$18.8 million in FY 2011, an 11% increase from FY 2010's $16.9 million total revenue.[1]
Contents |
Route details [edit]
The Wolverine operates over Norfolk Southern Railway, Amtrak, and Canadian National Railway trackage:
- NS Chicago Line, Chicago to Porter
- Amtrak Chicago–Detroit Line, Porter to Kalamazoo
- NS Michigan Line, Kalamazoo to Dearborn
- CN South Bend Sub from CP Gord to CP Baron (about .8 miles) in Battle Creek, MI
- Amtrak Chicago–Detroit Line, Dearborn to West Detroit
- CR North Yard Branch, West Detroit to Vinewood
- CN Shore Line Subdivision and Holly Subdivision, Vinewood to Pontiac
High-speed Rail Improvements and Proposals [edit]
The U.S. government considers high-speed rail service to be rail service which at any time reaches the speed of 110mph (175kph) or higher.[3]
In 2013 Amtrak's Winter-Spring Timetable showed that trains between Kalamazoo and Dearborn averaged just over 51mph[4] and Chicago to Detroit trains had an average speed of just under 44mph.[5] By historical comparison these speeds are almost exactly the same as 50 years ago when the New York Central's Wolverine, regularly traveled the 283.5 miles between Detroit and Chicago's La Salle Street Station in 5 hours and 25 minutes, averaging just under 44mph.[6] In fact, even faster travel was possible between Detroit and Chiacgo in 1966 using a route via Fort Wayne, Ind. In 1966 the Norfolk and Western Railway Company operated the Wabash Cannonball between Detroit and Fort Wayne (146.5miles) in 2 hours 25 minutes and the PRR's Broadway Limited ran from Fort Wayne to Chicago (148 miles) in 2 hours 29 minutes making for a total journey time of just 4 hours 54 minutes,[7] a speed still unmatched by Amtrak almost 50 years later even following millions of dollars spent in the construction of American high-speed rail.
Amtrak owns the 97-mile stretch of the Wolverine's route from Porter, Indiana to Kalamazoo, Michigan and it is the longest segment of track owned by Amtrak outside of the Northeast Corridor.[8] Starting in January, 2002 Amtrak began track improvements to increase the allowed speed along this section of track. Amtrak trains currently travel at top speeds of 110 miles per hour (mph, 177 km/h) along this section of track.[9]
In 2006 the Detroit–Chicago corridor was designated by the Federal Railroad Administration as a high-speed rail corridor[8] and in October, 2010, the State of Michigan received US$150 million from the federal government to increase track speeds to 110-mile-per-hour between Kalamazoo and Dearborn.[10]
Station stops [edit]
Consist [edit]
The Wolverine generally operates with two General Electric Genesis P42DC locomotives, one on each end of the train, giving it a streamlined look. The P42s generally used are numbered from 26–38, and 126–128. These engines are equipped with the ITCS train control system and are usually captive to Wolverine Service. The trains usually operate with four to six passenger cars, consisting of coaches and a cafe/business class car. A former EMD F40PH "cabbage" may be used in place of one P42 if the consist is light enough. The rolling stock is generally composed of Horizon railcars, although at least oneAmfleet business-class car appears on every consist. Regular Amfleet coaches may also be substituted/added to the consist.[2]
Incidents and Problems [edit]
On July 9, 2009, the Wolverine struck a car in Canton, Michigan. All of the people in the car died.[11]
In 2011 it was reported that the Wolverine sometimes suffers minor and major delays between Kalamazoo and Detroit due to track and signal problems.[12]
On February 1, 2012, the Wolverine struck a flatbed trailer in Jackson, Michigan. The locomotive was completely derailed, coming to rest on its right side, and the first few cars of the train partially derailed as well. Miraculously, there were no deaths.[13]
On March 15, 2012, Norfolk Southern issued another series of slow orders on various portions of the Wolverine's operating service line between Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor, Michigan, following an EF3 tornado in Dexter, Michigan. While some portions of the line operate at normal speeds in this section, others require the train to slow to as much as 25 mph (40 km/h). As a result of these slow orders, the train has been arriving approximately 90 minutes late after traveling over the slow-order sections of track. As a result, starting on March 26, trains 350 and 355 did not operate between Dearborn and Pontiac, with other trains operating on a modified timetable. As of April 13, 2012, normal speeds have resumed.[14]
Future service [edit]
Due to the increased ridership on these trains, Amtrak executive Morell Savoy, the Central Division Superintendent, spearheaded a test run of Chicago-Kalamazoo Wolverines from September 2, 2010, to September 7, 2010. This was done to determine all that would be involved in operations should Amtrak decide to initiate such service in the future.[15]
An estimated 90-minute delay went into indefinite effect on June 1, 2011, for Wolverine trains between Kalamazoo and Dearborn due to speed restrictions on the line that host railroad Norfolk Southern imposed.[16] On August 15, it was announced that work on 24 miles (39 km) of track between Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor would begin later in the month to increase speeds from the 30 mph (48 km/h) slow orders that had been in place.[17] As of October 2011, the track work is complete on the section previously restricted with slow orders. Normal 60 miles per hour (mph, 97 km/h) running has resumed. The trains now regularly meet times published in the Amtrak timetable.
On October 5, 2011, MDOT announced that it had reached an agreement with Norfolk Southern to purchase the 135 mi (217 km) of track between Kalamazoo and Dearborn. This will make it easier to maintain track and eventually upgrade it to 110 mph (180 km/h) running. As part of the purchase agreement, MDOT also agreed to double-track the line east of Ypsilanti.[18]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c "Amtrak reports record Michigan ridership". The Grand Rapids Press. October 14, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- ^ a b "WOLVERINE". TrainWeb. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
- ^ "High-Speed Rail Strategic Plan: Press Release & Highlights" (PDF). U.S. Department of Transportation. April 16, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
- ^ Amtrak Winter-Spring 2013 timetable, 2hr 38 minutes, distance of 135 miles
- ^ Amtrak Winter-Spring 2013 timetable, 6hr 23minutes, distance of 281 miles
- ^ The Official guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the U.S., Rand McNally & Company, May 1966
- ^ The Official guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the U.S., Rand McNally & Company, May 1966
- ^ a b "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2006". State of Michigan. Retrieved 2007-05-13.
- ^ Amtrak Press Release, February 15, 2012, AMTRAK 110 MPH MICHIGAN SERVICE CELEBRATION,"Amtrak extended ITCS coverage to the western and eastern ends of the line between Porter and Kalamazoo last year, completing the system across 97 miles of track and permitting the higher speeds on about 80 miles of the route, 64 miles in Michigan and 16 in Indiana. The FRA granted approval for regular service at 110 mph (177 kph) on Jan. 27, 2012."
- ^ "Michigan awarded $150M for high-speed rail route". The Detroit News. October 25, 2010. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
- ^ 5 killed when Amtrak train hits car in Mich. – US news – Life – NBCNews.com
- ^ Johnston, Bob (September 2011). "Michigan Speeds Plummet". Trains: 8.
- ^ Driver of truck inside cab when train struck, had been hauling machinery to Miller Storage | MLive.com
- ^ Amtrak – About Amtrak – Service Alerts and Notices
- ^ "Amtrak Tests Kalamazoo-Chicago Round Trips", Trains, December 2010, 21.
- ^ "Speed restrictions cause 90-minute delays for Amtrak line between Kalamazoo and Dearborn". Michigan Live. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
- ^ "Work to begin on restoring 'Wolverine' speeds". Trains Magazine. August 15, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- ^ http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0%2c4616%2c7-151-9620_11057-263585--%2c00.html
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wolverine |
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